Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops
Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops are a cool, refreshing addition to your red, white, and blue celebration! Enjoy this allergy-friendly recipe as a fun snack or side over your holiday weekend.
Growing up, the 4th of July was always celebrated with a long weekend at the lake with friends or family.
And there was always an abundance of yummy food.
From watermelon spitting contests to birthday cake celebrations, there was always something delicious to eat throughout the entire weekend. As my brothers and I became adults, we started experimenting with festive cocktails to pair with all the s’mores, corn-on-the-cob, and cheesy potato casserole.
As a food allergy mom, food-based celebrations come loaded with anxiety and resolution. There is always the risk for cross contact and inadvertent exposure to one of my child’s food allergens. At the same time, I am determined to help him have as many “normal” childhood experiences as possible. And that includes making a point to attend all those food-based celebrations.
So that is where the inspiration for these Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops came from. Finding allergy-friendly (yet affordable) ice cream treat is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Frozen yogurt takes the cake in this fun, festive snack (or side), while also incorporating a serving of fruit (which is a good source of potassium)!
It is possible to make a batch of Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops that is free of the top nine food allergens. It might take a little searching to find a safe cereal option and non-dairy yogurt alternative. However, I included a list below to get you started on your search, if needed.
On a personal note, my favorite thing about this recipe is that it can be made last-minute using items you probably already have on hand: bananas, yogurt, and cereal or sprinkles. Last-minute treat for the win!
So tell me, what are you eating at your 4th of July celebration this year? Whatever you do - have fun, stay safe, and eat joyfully!
Can infants or toddlers eat Frozen Banana Pops?
Good question. From a developmental standpoint, the frozen banana and popsicle stick may pose a choking risk for infants under 12 months. Each child is different, so use your discretion to determine if this recipe is safe for an older infant or younger toddler. And make sure to supervise any young children while eating Frozen Banana Pops!
From a food allergy standpoint, I would recommend exposing a food allergy child to the individual recipe components first before serving a Frozen Banana Pop. That includes using a cereal and yogurt/non-dairy alternative that has been safely consumed in the past. Better safe than sorry.
How do you crush dry cereal?
This is the fun part! You can use a plastic bag and kitchen mallet to crush dry cereal. This is a great way to get kids of all ages involved in the kitchen - especially those that like to pound and make loud noises!
What are allergy-friendly substitutions for this recipe?
As written, this recipe contains milk (yogurt), but if you use a milk-free yogurt alternative it may contain nuts, soy, or coconut. Depending on what cereal you use, it may contain wheat, soy, eggs, nuts, or other allergens. This is why it is so important to check every label, every time.
In the pictures for this recipe, I used red and blue fruit loops and frosted cheerios. According to the labels on the cereal boxes, fruit loops contain wheat. Cheerios are labeled gluten free, but oats can come into cross-contact with wheat during the harvesting and manufacturing process. This is why it is so important to check allergen statements or contact the company directly for additional allergen information.
To make milk-free: use a non-dairy yogurt that is safe from any food allergens
To make wheat-free: use wheat-free cereal or other toppings such as sprinkles
You can learn about the differences between gluten-free and wheat-free in this previous post. If you need some ideas to jump-start your wheat-free or gluten-free cereal search, check out:
Frosted Three Wishes
Strawberry Grain-free Os from Forager Project
Berry Blast Cheetah Chomps from Nature’s Path EnviroKidz
Berry Vanilla Puffs from Cascadian Farm.
If you are willing to spend the time separating red and blue Fruity Pebbles (or have small hands that can help with this task), then that is another wheat-free option. If you decide Cheerios are an option for your family, then you could use Blueberry Cheerios and Very Berry Cheerios. Please double check food labels and company allergen statements for any other food allergens you may need to avoid.
How to make Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops:
Step 1: Wash hands with soap and warm water. Gather ingredients and supplies.
Step 2: Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
Step 3: Place toppings in separate shallow bowls. Insert popsicle stick into the cut side of the banana halves.
Step 4: Use a knife or spoon to spread yogurt on bananas, coating generously.
Step 5: Roll bananas in toppings, such as crushed blue, red, or white cereal, sprinkles, etc. Read food labels to double check for potential allergens! Gently set on wax paper.
Step 6: Freeze 1-2 hours, or until firm. Eat immediately, or transfer to freezer-safe containers and return to freezer.
More festive, allergy-friendly recipes:
Patriotic Frozen Banana Pops
Lisa Woodruff | July 3, 2022
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: N/A
- Total time: 15 minutes + 1-2 hours to freeze hour
No nuts | No eggs | No wheat | No soy | No fish | No sesame
Contains milk. Cereal may contain wheat, nuts, eggs, soy, or other allergens (check labels!)
Ingredients:
- Bananas, peeled and cut in half
- Popsicle sticks
- Yogurt or yogurt alternative to coat bananas
- Red, white, and blue toppings (allergy-friendly crushed cereal, sprinkles, etc.)
Instructions:
- Wash hands with soap and warm water. Gather ingredients and supplies.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Place toppings in separate shallow bowls. Insert popsicle stick into the cut side of the banana halves.
- Use a knife or spoon to spread yogurt on bananas, coating generously.
- Roll bananas in toppings, such as crushed blue, red, or white cereal, sprinkles, etc. Read food labels to double check for potential allergens! Gently set on wax paper.
- Freeze 1-2 hours, or until firm. Eat immediately, or transfer to freezer-safe containers and return to freezer.
Allergy-friendly Substitutions:
- No milk: use non-dairy (milk-free) yogurt or other spread
- No wheat: use wheat-free cereal or toppings
